In the manufacturing of semiconductors, for example, and microsystems technology, numerous components are furnished at their surface with structures that are sensitive to the touch. Such components, among other things, have movable, filigree etching structures, such as diaphragms, reeds or jumpers, possibly as components for pressure sensors or acceleration sensors. In order to avoid impairment, this requires contactless grasping and holding of the component.
In addition, on account of a mechanical contact of grasping with the component surface, particles could be abraded or generated, and could possibly be carried off onto the component surface, which has a disadvantageous effect on the manufacturing yield.
Furthermore, components having sensitive surfaces or surface coatings, such as freshly lacquered components or the like in almost all technical fields, may likewise be grasped and held in a contactless manner.
In the case of certain applications, the component may only be grasped and held from above, i.e. the direction aligned with the direction of the force of gravity, for instance, when grasping a component that was laid down on a storage area or a transportation device, or when mounting or assembling the component on a specified object or storing it. Such cases of application exist, for example, in the bonding of semiconductor disks, or during so-called wafer bonding, in which case the corresponding component is to be applied accurately and with a defined contact pressure to a structural element without damaging corresponding structures or surfaces. In the case of these applications, no grasping or holding devices may be used which hold or grip the component from two opposite sides.
Such a one-sided, contactless grasper and holder is known, for instance, from German Published Patent Application No. 198 06 306. This document describes a device in which the respective object is positioned in the direction of the force of gravity, in a contactless manner, below a holding element, using pneumatic tractive forces and pressure forces.
However, this has the disadvantage that, in order to generate the pneumatic tractive and pressure forces, gas flows out from appropriate outflow orifices or is aspirated in inflow orifices, which may lead to particles being carried off, and thus to a loss in manufacturing yield.